Cinema is a great medium for telling important, relatable, and entertaining stories that cover a range of tropes and themes, such as the hero's journey. From expansive franchises to cult classics, cinema has produced a range of compelling, dynamic, and tenacious heroes. However, every great hero needs an equally formidable villain, one who represents the opposing qualities of what makes a hero. Though some films have morally complex and nuanced foes, others have unambiguously evil threats.

Movie villains serve as a way to create contrast for their heroes and can take them to the edge of their moral philosophies, showing that even in their darkest hour they remain on the side of good. Some villains are much more evil than others, and some are practically the embodiment of an irredeemable, classically evil threat. These characters are among the best-received bad guys on film, and that only becomes truer as they embrace their love of pure, true evil.

Updated on May 6th, 2024 by Fawzia Khan: Movies are incomplete without their antagonists, but some can be truly very evil. Their actions and words are malevolent beyond imagination, inducing a visceral reaction in audiences. This list has been updated with even more such movie villains.

15 Dolores Umbridge Jumped from One Evil To Another

Dolores Umbridge was a horrifying character in Harry Potter, and her evil kept going deeper and deeper as her arc progressed. At first simpering sweet, her demeanor hid a very bitter and angry woman, who thought it was okay to physically hurt children, and drug them with Veritaserum to make them tell her the truth.

Even as she was ousted from Hogwarts by its own students, Umbridge did not cease her atrocities. In the Ministry of Magic, she headed the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, which unfairly prosecuted people with Muggle relations. The punishments were severe, and Umbridge seemed to enjoy them thoroughly. She was an obvious sadist.

14 Cruella de Vil Wanted to Kill Puppies For a Coat

Even if 101 Dalmatians may have got low ratings, Cruella de Vil left an indelible mark on audiences. The fashion designer was very much the embodiment of evil, as she couldn't spare even puppies for her nefarious sartorial ventures. Glenn Close's portrayed Cruella's singleminded pursuit of the puppies chillingly well.

While Disney's Cruella undid some of this formidable villain's terror, Close's Cruella remains one of the most terrifying villains of all time. She could go to any lengths to create her fur coat, the murder of 101 puppies was a laughing matter to Cruella. Her personality also made a shiver run down audience's spines.

13 Marla Grayson Didn't Care For Age or Respect

Rosamund Pike's Marla Grayson was a particularly gifted grifter, using her perfect appearance and persuasion to con well-meaning old people of their life's savings. Marla's con was a devious one -- she would appoint herself guardian of several aged people, claiming that they need the assistance to be able to live their lives well. She would then get them sent to assisted living, deliberately rendered helpless as she would sell their apartments and belongings.

Marla was heartless -- she even targeted an old woman who had built her wealth by herself and lived peacefully all alone. The destruction of these people's lives meant nothing to Marla. All that mattered to her was her own interest, and her ending was quite well-deserved.

12 Amy Dunne Was Absolutely Lethal

Another morally corrupt character played by Rosamund Pike, Amy started off as a sympathetic character, missing and possibly murdered by her husband. Soon enough, audiences got a taste of reality, where Amy had orchestrated her own disappearance, framed her husband for it, and even planned her own death just to make sure that Nick went down with her.

However, when she felt her affection return for her husband, Amy made it look like her ex-boyfriend had kidnapped and assaulted her, when all he did was give her shelter. Amy eventually killed him, and made a triumphant return to her husband, blackmailing him to stay with her. She cared little for free will, and made people do her bidding by arm-twisting them.

11 Norman Bates Was Seriously Disturbed

Meek and quiet at first glance, Anthony Perkins' Norman Bates hid his mother's corpse in his home and her personality in the recesses of his mind. Both a victim and a villain, Norman had had an emotionally turbulent childhood because of his abusive mother. Eventually, he killed her and her lover, and made it look like a suicide.

Norman's second personality, that of his moth